Bairstow
Well-Known Member
How's that?
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Camping in my car at the Fort
- Thread starter got2lovedisney
- Start date
MaryJaneP
Well-Known Member
Re: Lawsuits. As everyone knows, you can sue anyone for anything. How about "Because you let the guest sleep in their car."? Not likely to prevail, but black eye nonetheless.
Also, Disney probably has some limiting/exculpatory language in the campground paperwork that may say, flat out, "Do Not Sleep In Your Car!!!" or "Sleeping in your car is prohibited!"
Also, Disney probably has some limiting/exculpatory language in the campground paperwork that may say, flat out, "Do Not Sleep In Your Car!!!" or "Sleeping in your car is prohibited!"
Bairstow
Well-Known Member
That's putting it lightly.
This whole notion has 12(b)(6) written all over it.
Prudence causes company to take actions to prevent exposure to all likely avenues of civil liability, not ridiculous theories like this one.
To the initial question, though, I can't imagine Disney actually caring about whether someone who pays for a campsite puts up a tent or sleeps in a car/RV/camper van, whatever.
I mean, if there's a really bad storm and people take shelter in their Nissan Pathfinders or whatever, do you really expect Disney Security to come along with the truncheons and make everyone get back on the ground?
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
We live in a world where warnings have to be posted not to ingest rat poison or use window cleaner on your eyes. Dumber things have happened.
I'll give you a for-instance off the top of my head - whoever fell asleep in their car, had first gone to a Disney lounge for a nightcap. Whether they only drank a little or a lot, if a post mortem showed any kind of blood alcohol content, someone's survivors would kick and scream "why didn't you cut him off? Why isn't there security to make sure this doesn't happen? How do you let people drink and fall asleep in their car on your property in Florida" and so on. Whether or not there would be some kind of settlement, the decision would be made "look, let's just forbid people from sleeping in their car unless it's a camper. We're a campground, not a tunnel overpass, no sleeping in cars."
Or someone falls asleep in their car, but they decide "my I'm hot, think I'll turn on the AC." Maybe they kill their battery while they sleep and don't wake up before the heat kicks in. Maybe they're dumb enough to leave the car running and other people complain about the gas fumes and they raise a stink about their perfect Disney camping trip ruined by some slob who didn't want to sleep in a tent (who is not the OP in this scenario, who seems more considerate and smarter than that, for the record). I know there are plenty of work-arounds, especially if you're at site with electricity, I think we've all seen the pic on the internet where someone took a home AC unit and shoved/taped it into the hole where the driver's side rear window used to be. Ooh, chilly. But considering WDW is private property, if they wanted to create a rule that people aren't allowed to sleep in their car, they don't even need a reason, any more than you could kick me out of your house if you didn't want me wearing shoes in the living room but I refused to take mine off. Whether they're worried about accidents, or it's aesthetic related or they just don't wanna let you. They don't hafta.
Bairstow
Well-Known Member
I'm honestly baffled why people think grown adults sleeping in cars in Florida constitutes some kind of mortal danger and/or severe liability for the Walt Disney Company. Maybe it's just that I've managed to sleep in my car in Florida a couple times and somehow managed to survive unscathed that I don't comprehend the terrible danger.
You people do realize that the State of Florida maintains over 50 interstate rest areas specifically for the purpose we're discussing, right?
You people do realize that the State of Florida maintains over 50 interstate rest areas specifically for the purpose we're discussing, right?
Bairstow
Well-Known Member
They also don't have to affix "do not eat" stickers onto every pinecone that falls in the campground- there's just no likely theory of liability there.
Disney doesn't enforce a "no sleeping in cars at the campgrounds" rule because:
1. There's no good reason to.
2. It would be impossible to enforce.
3. Fewer people would be willing to pay their campground fees if such a needless and invasive restriction on how people have to use their rented campsite was in place.
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
Yet.
All of this is possible, but it doesn't explain why the CSA I chatted with online said the OP wouldn't have a problem sleeping in her car, ONLY because it was for one night. The implication seems to be there would indeed be an issue were it for more than one night. But hey I could be wrong, there are a lot of Disney fans here (you know, presumably), maybe someone can let us know whether or not they were able to use a campsite without camping gear or a camper/trailer/RV for prolonged periods of time at Fort Wilderness.
Bairstow
Well-Known Member
The rep was probably confused because it was a weird question. Whether you're sleeping in a tent or a camper or your car or on the dang ground isn't really any of Disney's business once you've paid for your campsite.
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
I'm honestly baffled why you're being so obnoxious on a topic you didn't create and that has nothing to do with you. But hey, people have their own reason for doing things. So maybe, just maybe, Disney has no "good reason" to prevent people from getting a campsite at FW and only sleeping in their car...but that doesn't mean they'd necessarily allow it, either. They might have their "own reasons." Personally, knowing how dumb people can be, the idea that someone who sleeps in their car might leave it running all night, creating noise and odors other people find offensive*, might be enough to create a rule, official or otherwise, to put the kibosh on doing it. But also as I wrote above, there might be people who've spent their entire vacations never once setting up camp and always slept in their cars and it was never an issue.
*When we all own Teslas, this will cease to be an issue.
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
Nope. It's still their property, and they are within their right to dictate how it be used. You can rent a hotel room and opt to set up a tent inside of it, you know for the kids. It's within your right, you paid for the room. But if Mousekeeping can't work around the tent or it constitutes a safety hazard in the event of a fire, Disney can say to put the tent away and you can't go "hey I paid for the room, it's mine!" Right?
And while on the subject about it being a "weird question"...
Yeah, she seemed downright baffled.
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Bairstow
Well-Known Member
You're asking the wrong question, though.
It's not about that the company can require, it's what they do require.
Disney COULD require that everyone sleeping in their hotel rooms lie on their backs instead of their sides, but it would be ridiculous to require this or enforce it, so they don't.
Similarly, Disney COULD require that everyone renting their campsites actually sleep in fabric tents, but it would be ridiculous to require this or enforce it, so they don't.
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
They could absolutely enforce it. Maybe they give people a one night grace period - after all, you could arrive late or go to hit the parks as soon as you get there, and are then too tired to set up camp. But the next day, security on rounds could absolutely note "Hey Guest X arrived yesterday, yet hasn't set up camp, we need to investigate; if we find out they don't even have camping equipment we'll let them know they can rent from us (Note - hey, THAT'S a pretty good reason why they wouldn't let you sleep in your car right there, they can make money by mandating you have a tent, even if it means renting theirs), and if they don't have a tent they have to leave." Would they? I have no idea. Could they? Absolutely.
- In the Parks
- No
I still don't see what the big deal is. A car is no different than a mini-van or conversion van or an RV for that matter. It's just an enclosed shell. I saw a site in my loop where someone was camping in a toyota mini-van. Would they tell someone in their $40000 Rialta that they couldn't sleep in it? They HAD to sleep in a tent? I slept in my car and was glad that I did because it got cold that night plus I didn't have to worry about mosquitoes.
FYI I did read up on car camping before doing this so got some good tips. As I stated previously, I took a fan and had the window cracked so no risk of asphyxiation or heat stroke. The only thing I'd do different next time is to get a foam mattress. The yoga mat I laid down just wasn't cushy enough.
FYI I did read up on car camping before doing this so got some good tips. As I stated previously, I took a fan and had the window cracked so no risk of asphyxiation or heat stroke. The only thing I'd do different next time is to get a foam mattress. The yoga mat I laid down just wasn't cushy enough.
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
Well "Scout" what was the verdict? Did you dig it?
FWIW, I still think an issue they might wind up having (and it's not even a legal issue) is one of "camper culture." I get where you're coming from, but if the whole area is set up to be a campground but anyone can just use it to crash in their car, it risks being less special for anyone who's there to camp. Which is probably why they're cool with it for a night, the assumption is only a few people will do it, and the next day they're either setting up camp or on their way anyway. Like the analogy about how some people don't like guests wearing shoes in the living room. There's no law mandating such a thing, but as the homeowner, you can still say "please abide by the rules of my house or I'll have to ask you to leave." Regardless, it's no bug up my keister that you were able to do what you wanted to do. Heck, were I in your shoes, maybe I'd do it for a night, too (of course when I go it's usually the height of summer, the nightly lows are still in the mid-high 70s and humid most of the time, so no thanks).
FWIW, I still think an issue they might wind up having (and it's not even a legal issue) is one of "camper culture." I get where you're coming from, but if the whole area is set up to be a campground but anyone can just use it to crash in their car, it risks being less special for anyone who's there to camp. Which is probably why they're cool with it for a night, the assumption is only a few people will do it, and the next day they're either setting up camp or on their way anyway. Like the analogy about how some people don't like guests wearing shoes in the living room. There's no law mandating such a thing, but as the homeowner, you can still say "please abide by the rules of my house or I'll have to ask you to leave." Regardless, it's no bug up my keister that you were able to do what you wanted to do. Heck, were I in your shoes, maybe I'd do it for a night, too (of course when I go it's usually the height of summer, the nightly lows are still in the mid-high 70s and humid most of the time, so no thanks).
- In the Parks
- No
@slappy magoo I didn't get to scout as much as I planned because I gave in to my craving for Earl of Sandwich so got to the campsite late. 
I liked the privacy of the site (2024), surrounded by nice tall trees. Very dark when I arrived so had a little trouble backing in to the spot so gotta remember that next time. Plenty of electric outlets. Comfort station was conveniently located and squeaky clean. It was very quiet by 10pm. I did see some people had a tent plus a screened shelter over the picnic table which was a good idea. I liked it!
I liked the privacy of the site (2024), surrounded by nice tall trees. Very dark when I arrived so had a little trouble backing in to the spot so gotta remember that next time. Plenty of electric outlets. Comfort station was conveniently located and squeaky clean. It was very quiet by 10pm. I did see some people had a tent plus a screened shelter over the picnic table which was a good idea. I liked it!
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
@slappy magoo I didn't get to scout as much as I planned because I gave in to my craving for Earl of Sandwich so got to the campsite late.
See, I probably would have gorged myself at Trails' End. After all, even after a big meal, if you're all alone in the car, no one's gonna notice when you...
righttrack
Well-Known Member
I think a lot of campgrounds don't allow this for cultural reasons. For example, at a nudist camp, you take off your clothes. If you're clothed the whole time, you're a perv. By staying in your car, you've indicated your lack of interest in the activity at hand, camping. Sure there are people staying in campers and RVs, with more amenities and comforts of home than you have in your car, but it's just the way other "campers" would look at it I guess.
Bairstow
Well-Known Member
ARE there a lot of campgrounds that don't allow this?
Can you show me the posted rules on the web?
kelknight84
Well-Known Member
As someone who camps once a month, I have not heard this is not allowed. I also wouldn't care. I've even seen plenty people do it. Now personally I wouldn't because I think it would be hot and uncomfortable.
What I do find an issue with is the people who book the fort for the benefits and don't stay there at all. It is always booked and incredibly hard to find a site. Then when you go there are empty spots all over.